Chairman for the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) Construction Sector, Rockson Kwesi Dogbegah has called on government to pass the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) bill to regulate activities in the construction industry.

He said this was necessary to help build an “indigenized globally competitive construction industry that promotes excellence and supports national development.”

Mr Dogbegah, who was speaking at a seminar organized by the AGI on local content policy for the construction industry in Ghana, said such a policy was crucial to giving locals a fair share of contracts.

He said the CIDA bill had been pending for over three years and that the Authority when established, would enable local constructors to compete with foreign firms that benefit from protectionist policies of their governments.

Mr Dogbegah said under the policy, Government through effective legislation would ensure that 70 percent of procurement were executed by local contractors, with provisions for women, the disabled, and contractors captured under the Youth Enterprise Fund.

He said the industry contributed over 15 percent of Gross Domestic Product for the country and has the potential to drive the nation’s economic growth, with support from Government.

Mr Dogbegah said the growth of the local construction industry hinged on the promotion and uptake of indigenous materials, access to short and long-term finances and resources, quality services, training, and a strong collaboration between industry and academic research.

He said Government must facilitate technology transfers and local capacity development by ensuring effective collaboration with foreign construction companies, whiles enhancing the construction supply chain.

Mr Dogbegah said Government must also legislate and enforce acts to streamline payment of securities to indigenous companies and enterprises under the local content policy whiles integrating construction activities with local economies to expand employment opportunities.

He said there is the need for local participation in the control and financing of joint venture arrangements that promoted the use of local resources, materials and services in the construction industry.

Mr Dogbegah said poor procurement practices, weak legal and regulatory frameworks, and delayed payments for executed contracts remained bottlenecks to the growth of the local construction industry.